Various cushions and travel pillows have been proposed in the prior art to address the problems of supporting an individual's neck and head while resting in a seat during traveling.
For example U.S. Pat. No. 4,031,578 discloses a travel pillow comprised of three resilient sections: (1) a central section which serves as a spacer and supports the back of the user's head and (2) a matching pair of lateral head section's located on opposite sides of said spacer (1) to form a generally H-shaped configuration therewith; both of the head sections (2) being of greater thickness than spacer (1) and possessing a tapered appearance which begins with a flat and generally wide back-wall and a narrower, rounded front portion; said back-wall being disposed at an angle which slopes toward the central section so that the backward pressure of the user's head on said spacer (1) will cause the said back-walls to form an essentially parallel plane and draw the inner side-walls toward one another, for contact with the user's head.
US 2001018777 discloses a device Comprising a firm core with a first and a second lengthwise edge, a top surface and a bottom surface; a recess located on the top surface of the core; a layer of soft, viscoelastic foam located within the recess; a layer of soft, Dacron fiber located along a top surface of the layer of foam; and a soft; C shaped layer of viscoelastic foam wrapped around the core; whereby the C-shaped layer of foam covers the first lengthwise edge of the core; the bottom surface of the core, and the second lengthwise edge of the core.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,285,081 discloses a device with a generally concave shape with respect to a vertical axis of curvature corresponding approximately to the central vertebral axis of the neck. The concave shape is fashioned so that it has symmetrical left and right halves, opposing areas of which are designed to exert gentle pressure in the vicinity of the mastoid processes of the head. The surface also has a generally convex shape with respect to a horizontal axis, such axis intersecting the vertical axis of curvature, so that the generally convex shape conforms generally to at least the upper portion of the nape of the neck and the lower portion of the occipital bone of the head.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,345,347 discloses an inflatable head and neck support cushion in a modified “horseshoe” shape, designed to rest on the shoulders of a person relaxing or working in a semi-reclining position in any hospital bed, passenger seat or high-backed chair; such that the head and neck are received by the interior middle portion of the “horseshoe”, such middle portion permanently embodying the contour of the back of the head and neck of a person, the two tips of the “horseshoe” being long enough to extend over the shoulders of the person and widely enough disposed apart from one another so that there is unrestricted circulation of air to the sides of the neck and face of the person, the “horseshoe” tips containing at their extremities tiny weights, slightly heavier than the inflated middle portion of the “horseshoe”, in order to stabilize the entire cushion on the shoulders of a person.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,778,469 discloses a concave pillow member having a back portion, and a pair laterally opposing arcuate side portions being extended from said back portion, said back portion having an arcuate surface; wherein said back portion and said arcuate side portions define a concavity for accepting the neck of a person for supporting the cervical spine, a pivot pin connecting each of said arcuate side portions to said back portion in a manner permitting pivoting into a stationary position of each of said side portions relative to said back portion and the other of said side portions.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,786,554 discloses an apparatus to support the curve of the posterior aspect of the upper and lower portion of the neck and upper thoracic portion of the spine and behind the ears to provide support to these areas so that the head and neck will remain in a supported position while the individual is asleep. The device also provides a residing area for the skull supporting the weight of the head posteriorly.
Despite the achievements of the prior art devices, none of them provide a support which all in one                is capable of conforming its shape including its left and right support members to the natural lordotic curvature of the neck and head of individuals of various sizes and forms thereby providing a full support of the neck and head all the way from the bottom of the neck to the occipital ridge and the mastoid bones behind the ears;        is capable of comfortably holding the head and neck in a motionless position in a given natural resting position i.e. with the head in a straight forward position or in various sideward turned and tilted positions;        does not occupy space between the fixed support surface (e.g. the back-rest of the chair) and the back head of the individual;        is capable of providing an upright support of the occipital ridge of the head preventing the head from dropping too far backwards but without pushing the head too far forward;        is capable of being easily adapted to support the neck and head of a seated human being whose head rise above the head-rest of a seat;        is discrete in use and does not touch the cheeks or jaws and does not cover the ears of the human being;        is simple to use with no prior installation or adaptation needed and;        is small and easy to package and carry in a hand luggage.        
It is an object of preferred embodiments of the present invention to provide a device which meets at least some of the above requirements.